I talked to a pruner in town and they are doing quite well...I know this cause I make most of my money on these types of jobs...how do you all determine how to charge for the bid?...I tried out their redmax hedge trimmers and they are wonderful!...springs for AV and Quiet, Quiet!...I want one or two...one of them was the 2400 I think...they had a light one also, but I don't remember the model #...thanks...

jtrice11

06-27-2005, 11:06 AM

I charge $10 per bush for residential, $12 per for commercial. I have Echo HS150's (i think?).

Appalachian landscape

06-27-2005, 12:16 PM

I want my bushes to look like a swan for $10! Be here tuesday or you're fired!

Drew Gemma

06-27-2005, 12:26 PM

well if we are pick pruning or hand pruning it gets to be quite expensive. about 80 an hour. But just to use hedge clippers its 60 an hour plus disposal. No to many ppl know how to pick prune and around here no one wants to do it I will cause I charge for it and I am very good at it. Over the years I have become really comfortable with it. I think it is very hard to teach and learn hand pruning.

ken0564

06-27-2005, 12:46 PM

well if we are pick pruning or hand pruning it gets to be quite expensive. about 80 an hour. But just to use hedge clippers its 60 an hour plus disposal. No to many ppl know how to pick prune and around here no one wants to do it I will cause I charge for it and I am very good at it. Over the years I have become really comfortable with it. I think it is very hard to teach and learn hand pruning.

okay i'm stupid...but what it pick pruning?? ;) ;)

and when you say hand pruning do you mean the old fashioned way with manual clippers?? :dizzy:

lqmustang

06-27-2005, 02:02 PM

I believe what he means is selective pruning by hand. By 'picking' what branches and such you are going to remove, you keep a more natural look to the bush, instead of turning it into a box or a globe. I do this at times on request, and it can be very time consuming.

Drew Gemma

06-27-2005, 03:01 PM

thanks Jason. Not every plant can be sheared with hedge clippers! Pruning requires some skill shaping (using hedge clippers) requires practice. Shaping could be either type depending on what you are working on.

ken0564

06-29-2005, 11:12 AM

I believe what he means is selective pruning by hand. By 'picking' what branches and such you are going to remove, you keep a more natural look to the bush, instead of turning it into a box or a globe. I do this at times on request, and it can be very time consuming.

Thanks guys...didn't realize that's what it was called. Yes we have some we pick as well, I don't like it but do charge accordingly.

My partner really enjoys it, he's sicko, says it's more self rewarding. He can do some damage (good) in short time. I understand his point but I still don't like to do it, try to leave it for him while I run the h trimmer. He's actually pretty dang good at it.

Grassmechanic

06-29-2005, 03:27 PM

well if we are pick pruning or hand pruning it gets to be quite expensive. about 80 an hour. But just to use hedge clippers its 60 an hour plus disposal. No to many ppl know how to pick prune and around here no one wants to do it I will cause I charge for it and I am very good at it. Over the years I have become really comfortable with it. I think it is very hard to teach and learn hand pruning.
Drew, you and I would get along just fine. I hand prune almost every shrub/bush also. Hedge trimmers were made to trim HEDGES, not bushes and shrubs. :drinkup:

BigChaz

06-29-2005, 05:23 PM

Drew, you and I would get along just fine. I hand prune almost every shrub/bush also. Hedge trimmers were made to trim HEDGES, not bushes and shrubs. :drinkup:

While i dont do many, I also use the hand pruner for most jobs. I cant understand using the monster hedge trimmer for some of the bushes i got that are barely up to my knees. Much easier to shape and faster (imo) to hand prune on the small ones

Premo Services

07-01-2005, 07:35 AM

While i dont do many, I also use the hand pruner for most jobs. I cant understand using the monster hedge trimmer for some of the bushes i got that are barely up to my knees. Much easier to shape and faster (imo) to hand prune on the small ones

What do you do if you have a customer that has, lets say real good sized boxwoods that have been trimmed with gas trimmers for many years?

QualityLawnCare4u

07-01-2005, 08:09 AM

In my area clients (dont laugh) expect you to do them in the 4 to 5 dollar an hour range! :realmad: I figure mine on 40 per hour for on site dumping and more if I have to haul off. Needless to say, I get less than 5% of my quotes.
I wished I had pic of every wild eyed/stunned/shocked/you got to be kidding look I get on my quotes!

dcplace2004

07-04-2005, 02:03 PM

the low price expected by the "mislead customer" is caused by the POS lowballer...but I am sure you know this...run their lowballer azz out of town and charge accordingly...

BigChaz

07-04-2005, 02:35 PM

What do you do if you have a customer that has, lets say real good sized boxwoods that have been trimmed with gas trimmers for many years?

Thats why I mentioned small bushes. Obviously for the large sizes I would bust out the gas trimmers, but not for the small bushes

Grassmechanic

07-04-2005, 02:41 PM

What do you do if you have a customer that has, lets say real good sized boxwoods that have been trimmed with gas trimmers for many years?
Boxwoods, privet, and yews take a shearing very well and are used for plantings where a formal shape is required, My pet peeve is watching a so-called professional using hedgetrimmers on EVERY shrub on a given property. I've seen Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Burning Bush, ect. done this way and it just burns me everytime. :angry:

Anthony-MB

07-09-2005, 09:28 PM

want an easy way to trim hedges
check out this product
http://www.jenquip.co.nz/herbharvesterHT.htm